Kia and B.R.A.K.E.S Join to Combat Distracted Driving

Apr 20, 2015

It has been estimated that 10 percent of all drivers under the age of 20 have been involved in fatal vehicle accidents where distraction was cited as the reason for the crash. The truth is, that these fatalities are avoidable, which is why Kia Motors America (KMA) and the B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) Teen Pro-Active Driving School are providing teens with the proper training and tools to be responsible and safe behind the wheel.

B.R.A.K.E.S. will provide hands-on defensive driving instruction for 300 students in cities all over the country throughout the month of April (Distracted Driving Awareness Month). Instructions will include a distracted driving experience, evasive maneuvering, emergency braking using ABS and skid-control practice.

“Kia is dedicated to making roads safer and giving back to the communities we call home,” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of sales and marketing, KMA. “We are determined to help reduce the number of distracted driving accidents by working with B.R.A.K.E.S. to provide teens with the tools they need to be safer, better trained drivers behind the wheel.”

It is estimated that at any given daylight moment across the U.S., 660,000 drivers are using some sort of electronic device while driving. Unfortunately, this is a number that has held steady over the past five years. Kia and B.R.A.K.E.S. aim to be the catalyst for change and raising awareness. The program has already provided free safe-driving instructions for more than 15,000 students in 10 states.

What makes the program so successful is the three-to-one ratio of students to teachers in the four hour classes that are taught with parents in attendance. A note that is hard to ignore is, teens with parents who set driving rules and monitor their activities are half as likely to crash, 71 percent less likely to drive intoxicated, 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone when driving and less inclined to speed. So, if you are unable to attend one of the B.R.A.K.E.S classes, it is important that you take note on the driving habits of your teens and set rules early on.